I'm curuious. What path would a star take? And how do you describe it?

As far as who made it up, I guess you would have to blame the gospel writers. I am not sure they had the distinction back them between stars and planets, except for calling the stars that moved "wandering stars". Again the astronomical understanding of the day has to taken into acount.

If you need a visual to help you remember this distinction forverer, nothing would be more effective than this priceless clip of the multi-talented Lee Marvin finding his senstive side in the old 60's movie Paint Your Wagon. :)

I have never believed it was a star. Just read the scriptures. It clearly doesn't describe the path a star would take. Who made up this star story anyway? Sort of sounds like St Nick getting turned into Santa Claus.

Although not from a scientist's perspective, I looked into this a few years ago when he came to my church here. I think he is on to something.

I was heavily in to RTB at the time and they have a competing theory but I still found his much more plausible. I think the weakness of his that most people seize on is that he dates the advent of the star (a planetary conjunction if I recall) a few years earlier than 4BC which is when it is supposed to be and I don't recall how he deals with that, but the rest of his presentation is very convincing. It relies heavily on assumptions of the astronomical and astrological knowledge and accepted understandings of the day but as most of here are non-literalists, that shouldn't be that much of an objection.

I would definitely recommend you go and check it out. I think you will be impressed. A quick perusal of his site ahead of time would be wrothwhile as well.

So is anybody here (particularly any astronomers) familiar with a guy named Rick Larson who has a supposedly scientific inspirational DVD presentation about the Star of Bethlehem. This appears to be his website:
http://www.bethlehemstar.net/

It will be shown (as an Adult Ed offering) at my church soon. Good, harmless, or something to steer people away from?

Allan Harvey, ASA Member

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Received on Sat Nov 21 06:43:28 2009